Yep, the men are adopting more domestic cat companions and it is nice to see this happening. The days of the dog being man’s best friend are coming to an end! I wonder if this trend is being noticed in the USA.
A survey by the Pet Food Manufacturer’s Association (PFMA) found that the number of pet cats had risen by 500,000 in 2016 to a grand total of around eight million. The growth in cat numbers is put down to increased adoptions by men and young people. One in five men own a cat.
The survey found that 5.5 million men own a cat in the UK. The sharp increase of men cat lovers may partly be due to well-known personalities such as comedian Russell Brand, singer Ed Sheeran and actor Ewan McGregor publishing photos of themselves and their cats online.
Social media photos of these guys with their cats go viral and spread the message very effectively, namely that it is okay for men to love and adopt cats. And there has been a lot of news about Larry the No 10 Downing Street cat and his work colleagues at the Treasury and the Foreign Office. It all helps.
In addition dating experts advise men to pose with their pets for their online profiles to attract the opposite sex. Instagram accounts such as “cute boys with cats” attract a ton of hits and followers. This in fact lead to some stupid photos of men and tigers on Tinder.
Cats Protection spokeswoman, Gemma Croker said:
“Cats have always been on social media but we have definitely noticed more men openly expressing their love for their feline friends. It is possible that this trend may have triggered an increase in popularity for cats among the general male population, which is great news for rehoming pets.”
A male convert from dogs to cats is Sam Sahota. He thought of himself as a dog person until he adopted three kittens who had been abandoned in a trash can (dustbin). His colleagues found them and he is certainly smitten. He told the BBC that he had an urge to save them from certain death.
“I fed them milk from syringes. I placed a clock under their blanket to replicate the heartbeat of their mother and spent hours a day raising them. The thing I love most is how playful they are. Their curiosity, the affection they show, which is real, unlike a dog. Cats do not need the attention a dog does but when it gives you attention it is not false. They select who they want to be with.”
Another cat loving young man, at 24-years-of-age, is George Owen. He lives in North London and shares accommodation with three male friends.
“Tuey is a good laugh, he’s always up for playing when I’m bored, he’s a good companion but isn’t much hassle…Having a cat is better than having a girlfriend sometimes.”
Forty-four percent of the population of the UK keep pets. The most popular pets are fish believe it or not. There are 33 million pet fish in the UK!
Moi aussi.
I do hope this trend is happening all over the world * Eva